New carrying system needed- Think Tank? Your thoughts?

[hoffmanvision]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm looking to upgrade my equipment carrying system this year due to constant

irritation with my current setup. Last year I was shooting out of a LowePro

backpack- it worked great for transporting gear to the location but not so well

for working out of. I was using two D70's, one with a wide (12-24), one with a

tele (80-200), and I had a 17-35, a 50, a 90 macro, and an SB-800 floating

around as well. I was constantly setting one camera down on the floor to grab a

shot, running back to the corner to switch lenses, stuffing a 50 1.8 in my

slacks pocket, etc. Lens caps would always be a pain to find---it was a

nightmare---I couldn't stay focused on the wedding because I was so distracted

by my gear.

 

So this year I've made a commitment to solving the problem- and I'll be shooting

a bit differently. Instead of two D70's w/ lenses mounted, I will have one D300

and the D70 will merely be a backup. This means lens changes much more

frequently- which I'm willing to accept- if I can get things changed quickly,

stay organized, and remain focused on the Bride & Groom.

 

I've been eyeing the Think Tank Modulus system for a couple weeks now. It looks

to be awesome for what I need but I can't decide which direction to take it

because I have no local dealer. On the one hand, I could go with the Speed

Freak/Racer belt bag with a couple add on lens holders or I could go completely

modular, get a harness, a holster and the whole-nine-yards.

 

Has anyone had experience with this equipment an if so what worked well and what

didn't? Does the Speed Racer type bag lend itself to quick changes or does stuff

tend to get cluttered in there? My main concern is having all the stuff I need

on my body so I can shoot all day without setting anything down. I want my lens

hoods in ready-to-shoot position at all times. I want to be able to grab lenses

and shove them back into place in split second time.

 

Thanks for the input!

[sagephotoworld.com]

Nice shot!

 

I tried various bags and found none was really all that great.

 

What I'm trying now is a waistcoat with things like lens clothes, memory cards, batteries in the pockets.

 

One body will be around my neck with a 17-85 IS on it and a 580EX2.

 

The other body and a spare 580EX2 will be in a small backpack together with spare lenses. I don't think with the 17-85 that I will need to change lenses as it gives me wide to low telephoto.

 

That's my system. I did think about harnesses but they seem awfully expensive and I never ever see anybody using them. What I see most of is small backpacks and waistcoats. Remember - you don't need to put everything in your bag at any point so you can get away with a smaller bag.

 

My small backpack will hold a body, two lenses and a flash. It's a cheapie Tamrak Tek. I paid $50 for the backpack and $65 for my waistcoat. The rest is around my neck or in my pockets. Beware of putting anything heavy in a waistcoat - it can put you off balance and I know a good many photographers with back problems due to over-heavy gadget bags held off one shoulder.

[picturesque]

How many lenses do you need to carry on you? This makes a huge difference. If you only have maybe 3 lenses which you rotate on the camera, you can probably use a modular belt system (I'd leave off the harness, etc.) all day long, with possibly some change outs from the car or another case for special circumstances.

 

The problem with any carrying system is one normally has too much stuff to carry all at once all day long. If you carry all that stuff all day, I guarantee you that you will have back problems soon. I use a belt, a small shoulder bag and have a rolling case that I lock up. I keep each small, splitting the weight. I don't have lenses on my belt--I have two others beside the one on my camera in my shoulder bag. But I also have two primes in an add-on case that I can add to the belt, should I want them, such as for low light ceremonies. I don't carry them all the time. What I'm trying to say is, think creatively and figure out when you use what, so that you can split up the weight.

 

The 80-200 by itself can be a problem. You might try the open bottom holster made by Kinesis. Or a ShootSac or Boda Bag. These latter two are made for wedding photographers and each can hold the big heavy tele zoom.

 

One of the problems with a belt is, especially overloaded, you will have trouble walking between tables at the reception. And if you put lenses on the belt, don't use individual lens bags, go with the double bags. It cuts down on padding, which takes up a lot of space.

[Matt Laur]

Hi Sean. I'm a happy Think Tank guy. In this rig, which I use while tromping around in event mode, I'm using their Pro Speed Belt, Lens Drop In, Lens Changer 15, Speed Changer, Digital Holster 50.

 

The Digital Hoster 50 can accomodate my D200 w/ grip, with the 70-200VR mounted. The bottom of that holster can be zipped into a mode with enough room to keep the hood on the lens, ready to go.

 

The quick change bag can hold your D70 body, and some other odds and ends. I use the lens change bag and the drop-in bag, and bit more of the room in the quick change bag to rotate an ultra-wide zoom, a mid-range zoom and/or a prime, and an SB800.<div></div>

[Matt Laur]

Like you, I haul the extra gear in the field (as well as the laptop) using a pack. I like the Crumpler Karachi Outpost. I can pile a ton of gear in it, but it is not something you want to operate out of when things are happening.<div></div>

[Matt Laur]

In the vehicle, while things are banging around with light stands (or in my case, dog crates, shotguns, and other things!), the lenses, bodies, and strobes travel in a Pelican rolling case. It doubles as a nice seat and coffee table, in a pinch.<div></div>

[hoffmanvision]

Thanks for the replies so far!

 

Matt- I'm leaning toward the setup you've got- but with maybe one more lens stash. Thanks a bunch for including the pictures. BTW how big a lens can you fit in the Lens Changer 15 and the Lens Drop In? I'm needing to carry a 11-16 f/2.8, a 17-35 f/2.8, and a 50 f/1.8. Thanks again

[Matt Laur]

Sean: Mea Culpa! It's a Lens Changer 35, NOT the 15. The 15 is rather small, actually. So, here's a shot for a sense of scale. To the left of the Lens Changer bag is a 70-200. I've been known to drop that lens in the changer long enough to juggle things, but mostly I use it for my 10-20, or 18-200. On the right, you can see the Drop In bag, Sitting in the foreground is a Nikon 60/2.8 and a Sigma 10-20 for scale.<div></div>

[Matt Laur]

The drop-in bag is an interesting beast. Something like the 60mm shown above, or an 85mm (or certainly your 50/1.8) is going to drop right in, just as you'd expect. Here, I've got the 10-20, with hood. That's a 77mm filter, and a fairly wide hood. If you drop the lens in hood-up, it CAN be a little tricky to pull it back out, if you get the lens past the draw-string dust cover, and pull it taught. If you drop it in hood down, it's much easier to pull out. With something like your 50/1.8, it's rather cavernous, and you WILL want to pull the drawstring so that you don't lose the payload while climbing over a pew, etc.<div></div>

[hoffmanvision]

Matt-

 

Thanks a bunch this is just the info I was needing!

[steve.elliott]

Boda Lens Bag?

 

http://www.goboda.com/

[steve.elliott]

Video of it being demonstrated:

 

[david_schilling___chicago_]

My bag is almost identical to this one: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00PXYr

 

To be honest, I think that as you gain experience shooting weddings that this issue will diminish as you learn to anticipate your equipment needs throughout the day. I think the belts with all the gadgets looks gawdy at a wedding. CYMMV.

[Matt Laur]

David: It's a trade-off. The waist-style rig is more discreet than you might think (assuming you're wearing dark clothing). I find a single large bag, swinging around, to be considerably more awkward in a social setting. It probably helps that I'm 6'-2", so the relative size of the the waist-born rig is less visually obvious on me than it might be on someone smaller.

 

There's simply no way for anyone who is carrying that much gear, and needs it to be instantly at hand while shooting to NOT look like a gear-hauling photographer. He's carrying a 17-35 and an 80-200, and two bodies, and more. It's a large payload no matter what. The most important thing is his ability to gracefully swap lenses - without dropping any of them! - and get the shots. It's all very subjective, obviously, and driven my so many matters of personal taste, ergonomics, and... how your tux fits, I suppose. I've yet to encounter a single bag, which puts all of the payload behind you, or off to one side, that doesn't actually make you more off-balance, and your shoulders FAR more fatigued after a full day, than does a rig that puts the payload around your hips.

 

Unfortunately, there's no inexpensive way to test this approach. Think Tank gear is very reasonably priced, considering its materials, fit, and finish ... but a full event rig as mentioned is going to be a couple hundred bucks. The good news: totally modular, and you can turn it into a very lean rig for different sorts of work. I would not part with mine at this point.

[ellis_vener_photography]

I've been using the Thinktank Photo "Modulous" system for well over a year now. I agree with Matt's statement that "Think Tank gear is very reasonably priced, considering its materials, fit, and finish."

 

For walking around and shooting it beats the pants off of a back pack and should er bag. it is also the best and most comfortable belt based system I've worked with (various lowepro and Lightware systems) . Currently if i am workign an assignment I carry a 70-200mm f/2.8G, a 24-70 f/2.8G, a 14-24mm f/2.8G and a 100mm f/4 AI-S Micro-Nikkor , plus an SB-800 and Dyna-Lite JAckrabbit external battery for the SB-800 -- plus CF cards, an SC-17, business cards, keys, my wallet and a cellphone. If I am not on assignment I only take the lens I want to work with that day.

[think27]

Sean - two things...

 

1) Please read the guidelines... We don't allow "signing" a post with an image. Uploading images is allowed only for critique, a question about an image or problem that needs to be addressed or when a post asks for a specific example of a shooting treatment or if asked for specific ideas for inspiration.

 

2) Please upload images as jpgs at 511 pixels or less in width and put a caption in the caption box as the instructions request. We don't want links for images in threads. Thanks..

 

Moderator

[hoffmanvision]

Got it Mary- Sorry, I haven't posted here for a while.

 

To all those suggesting I try a shoulder bag or backpack for wedding work- thanks for the input but I've gone down that road before- it's never worked well for me. I can't stand it when a shoulder bag is swinging around, digging into my neck, being set down, picked up, using up a good hand to control when maneuvering, hanging down in front when I bend over; it's more hassle than it's worth!

 

Years of backpacking as well as running through airports with various types of luggage has taught me the beauty of putting the weight on the hips. It would be a hard sell for someone to tell me putting 20+ pounds of gear on my hips will screw up my back- last time I checked my spine ends at my pelvis so a modular belt system might just be the best thing I could do for my back in this profession, well, aside from having an assistant carry everything! A shoulder bag, now that's a great way to hurt you back.

 

And Nadine: trust me, I'd love to lighten my load but not at the expense of being without the right lens at the right time. Many of the ceremonies I've shot (especially outdoor) have me constantly cruising around. Leaving a lens at the car or at a picnic table can mean missing a once-only shot or worse- cost me valuable time away from the event which leads to stress and rushing.

 

Ellis- it sounds like you carry a similar amount of gear as I do. Which Modulus components do you use for all that stuff. Above Nadine recommended trying to get more than one lens into a pack to save padding space. Do you do this with a "speed changer" or is it a one-pouch-per-lens deal for you?

 

Thanks again for all the replies-

[picturesque]

Sean--by all means, you should do what you feel is appropriate for you. I have known numerous photographers who could not take carrying all that weight around on a belt all day. I couldn't do it. My back hurts (legs too) if I load up my belt, or the shoulder bag, or my neck (carrying around cameras), and I am pretty strong for a short person. The best thing to do is to try it, of course.

 

What I meant about leaving some gear off the belt until you need it is not what you are thinking. I meant anticipating what lenses you need for the next section of the wedding and strapping on moduler units when you need them and taking them off when you don't need them. For instance, I keep two primes in a modular bag in my case. I usually only use them in low light, such as no flash ceremonies. So I strap it on my belt right before the ceremony and put it back in my case after. My reasoning? Why carry around all day what you know you won't use? One of those is a longer tele, and I might strap the bag on for an outdoor ceremony. See what I mean? I don't mean leaving stuff in the car or case that you would normally use at various times all day.

[jtk]

If you're a DIY kind of person, you might make something personalized starting with a Buzz...I got a brown one from REA because I don't need to "look like a photographer." Damn thing could probably carry my car comfortably...actually better than a day pack with large loads...I carry a dslr with several primes and a Viv 285 (could easily carry twice that much) and some digital audio recording equipment and a few file folders etc etc etc...the only "dividers" and bottom padding are sections cut from blue foam hiking mattress material ,

 

East access (instantly swings around in front from comfortable back position) ultrasecure against accidental dumping because of smart velcro use and secure clips (don't need to remember them because the velcro looks out for you), weather resistant, subtle (I bought brown), more comfortable than a daypack for long hauls.

 

http://www.rei.com/webservices/rei/DisplayStyle/728587?source=14804&cm_ven=ps_Tleader&cm_cat=datafeed&cm_pla=pd_inclusion&cm_ite=datafeed

[david_schilling___chicago_]

I carry one camera on a bracket with my 580EX, keep another camera (with my 430EX) close by, my tripod and my bag in the last pew. If I need to wander around during the ceremony I can put a lens in eack pocket of my tux jacket. Nothing happens so fast that you can't anticipate your position and whichever lens you need. It never takes any more than 15-20 seconds to change a lens. A belt won't carry everything I need so what's the point,....I need the bag. What else is in the bag? Sewing kit, straight pins, scissors, leathermen, tux button covers, aspirin, extra bow tie.....wedding stuff.

 

I still think alot of shooters tend to overthink equipment stuff like this.

[davidandkara]

When I'm shooting live events, I typically use black Lowepro lens cases attached to the belt that I wear with my dress pants, and toss the batteries and cards in my pockets. Works great for me, and didn't cost much at all. ;o)